Writings on the Spiritual Life

“On Holy Saturday” / Sabbato Sancto

“On Holy Saturday” Sabbato Sancto “On Holy Saturday”1 Come to me, all you who labor, etc.2 1. At the beginning I say that through these words we are invited to the banquet, to the cross, and to the rest. We are invited to the banquet on Holy Thursday, to the cross on Good Friday. Now we are invited to the rest on this Sabbath of Sabbaths. For whatever was said at the beginning of the world about the observance of the Sabbath was said for the sake of rest. For after the completion of all his works the Lord rested on the seventh day. Psalm 15:9 proclaims: Therefore,3 my heart has rejoiced, and my tongue has exulted, and ... my flesh will rest in peace. And in another place in the Psalms it says: In peace in the Lord himself I will sleep and I will rest.4 Another place states: Because you, O Lord, have specially established me in hope.5 And yet another scripture says: Because you have not abandoned my soul ... at the end.6 Because the rest of this Sabbath is like that at creation it is said: The Lord rested on the seventh day.... So he blessed ... and sanctified it.7 Although it is true that in creating things the Lord worked for six days and rested on the seventh, it is even more true with regard to the works of re-creation, 1 See Sermon 21, “Sabbato Sancto,” in Saint Bonaventure, Sermons de diversis, I, (Paris: Les Editions Franciscaines, 1993), 307-16. See also Opera Omnia IX: 267-70. The translation is by Robert J. Karris , OFM. 2 Matt 11:28 concludes: ... and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 3 The Vulgate reads Propter hoc (“Therefore”) while Bonaventure has Propterea (“Therefore”). 4 See Ps 4:9. 5 Ps 4:10. 6 This is an adaptation of Ps 16:10-11: Because you will not abandon my soul ... at the end. 7 See Gen 2:2-3. Writings on the Spiritual Life 372 for the Lord worked for six periods of time8 and then rested on the seventh. At the beginning of his Incarnation Christ was poor and in labors from his youth.9 But he was especially in labors during the six days before his passion when he exposed himself to suffering and came to Bethany and preached. But on the seventh day, after he had suffered, he was placed in the tomb and rested. Today the most blessed soul of Christ made it happen that all the holy souls might be with him in the delight of eternal joy and the rest of the beatific vision. To this rest we are invited, and we should find it during our life. For every labor is for the sake of rest, and every activity is for the sake of eternal rest. Now there are four things by which human beings come to that rest. First, through exercise.10 Second, through the groans of bitter compunction. Third, through the leisure of contemplation. Fourth, through the prize of eternal recompense. In the first rest begins. In the second it makes progress. In the third it is perfected. In the fourth it is perpetuated. 2. So first we must seek rest through the exercise of virtuous activity. For it is said in Exodus: For six days you shall do all your works. On the seventh day you shall celebrate the Sabbath of the Lord your God.11 On six days you shall labor, that is, through the six exercises of the virtues. About these the Psalmist says: Lord, who will dwell in your tabernacle? Or who will rest on your holy mountain? The person who enters without blemish and does justice. The person who speaks the truth in his 8 Literally:“The Lord worked for six five-year periods.” 9 See Ps 87:16: I am poor and in labors from my youth. 10 Bonaventure will specifies this as “the exercise of virtuous activity ”in the next section, n. 2 below. 11 See Ex 20:9-10: For six days you shall work and you shall perform all your works. But on the seventh day of the Sabbath of the Lord your God, you shall do no work. Writings on the Spiritual Life 373 heart, who has not wrought...